2013 Medal of Merit Recipients

Upstate Correctional Facility

Medal of Merit
Donald Uhler, Deputy Superintendent for Security

On June 25, 2012, the emergency call no one ever wants to hear “officer
down” rang out from 11 Building at Upstate Correctional Facility.
Correction Officer Ray Drake had collapsed while on duty. Staff immediately
responded, assessed he was experiencing a possible seizure, and provided
comfort.

Deputy Superintendent for Security Uhler responded to 11 Building from
the Administration Building. Upon arrival he recognized from his extensive
training that Correction Officer Drake was experiencing a cardiac event.
Deputy Superintendent Uhler sprang into action calling upon his experience
as an EMS responder he utilized the AED while directing others to assist.
Correction Officer Drake was shocked three times while en route to the infirmary.
While awaiting local ambulance response, Deputy Superintendent Uhler directed
nursing staff in tending to Officer Drake’s needs. The rescue squad arrived
and transported Correction Officer Drake to Alice Hyde Hospital.

In the days following it was determined that without Deputy Superintendent
Uhler’s quick intervention and decisive actions Correction Officer
Drake may not have survived. Correction Officer Drake has since recovered
and returned to full duty.

Eastern Correctional Facility

Medal of Merit
Scott Stedner, Correction Officer

On May 8, 2012, Correction Officer Scott Stedner, while working his vehicle
perimeter patrol post at Eastern New York Correctional Facility, came upon
a one-car accident near the intersection of Berme Road and Institution Road.
It appeared that the vehicle may have hydroplaned on the rain soaked road
and slid approximately 100 feet into a running stream. Correction Officer
Stedner immediately alerted the facility of the accident, as he was running
to help the occupants of the car. He discovered a woman and her three children
inside the vehicle. The driver’s door was jammed closed.

Without hesitation Correction Officer Stedner waded into the water and
was able to get all four passengers out of the vehicle and onto dry land.
He then loaded everyone into his vehicle and brought them to the nearby
Credit Union building where they were cared for until emergency personnel
arrived.

Altona Correctional Facility

On the morning of April 26, 2012, Correction Officers Joseph Poissant and
Mark Dubrey were on their way to work at the Altona Correctional Facility
when they saw smoke billowing from a barn at the Miner Institute Research
Facility.

The officers instinctively drove up to the barn to assess the situation.
Correction Officer Poissant could hear the sound of livestock in distress,
bellowing from inside. Knowing that animals were trapped, both Correction
Officers ran to one of the barn doors. Using their training, they felt the
door for heat and looked for flames. Correction Officer Dubrey tried to
enter the building but was driven back by the thick smoke. The Correction
Officers tried another door and were able to get into the barn, now joined
by staff from the Miner Institute. They could see flames shooting up the
walls and into the ceiling. Without fear for their own safety the two Correction
Officers, working together, found fire extinguishers and were able to keep
the flames at bay while Miner Institute staff were able to free all of the
livestock.

The Chazy Fire Chief called the Correction Officers “phenomenal”
and largely credited their efforts with not only saving the livestock but
also the building which is a historical site built in 1906.